Progress of the Balkan War.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXIV, Issue 60, 4 November 1912, Page 5

Progress of the Balkan War.

(By Electric Telegraph.. —Copyright — United Press Association.)

THE BATTLE OF LULEBURGAS. /J0a,003 MEN ENGAGED. London, November 2. ‘The Times’ ’ Soli a' correspondent says that the Turks on Thursday made a desperate effort to retrieve the situation. They rallied between Chorlu and Istrandifia, reinforced by a division from Constantinople, but tno Bulgarians were completely victorious, and captured Chorlu, Istrandja, and Rosbots. • i . . Tour hundred thousand participated in the battle of Luleburgas, beginning on Tuesday and continuing obstinately wtiii wavering success until Wednesday. Thereafter the Turks tieided all along the line. Skeuket Torgut Pasha attempted to create a diversion on Thursday. He landed at Midia (on the coast, cast of Adrianople) with 20,00.) men, and advanced towards \ isa (about 25 miles inland), where General Kutchincif, with a body of Bulgarians, routed him.

The reported shooting of Aziz is officially denied. THE SIEGE OF ADRIANOPLE. Sofia, November 2. The Bulgarians have invited civi inns to quit Adrianople. The commandant has replied that he is willing if the garrison is likewise given a free passage. The Bulgarians have refused. Vienna, November 2. The ‘Reichpost’ states that only fractions of Nazim Pasha’s army got beliiiid Chataldja. THE POSITION OF SCUTARI. Constantinople, November 2. Essad Pasha, himself an Albanian, has telegraphed to Salonika asking for Turkish troops, adding that it is impossible to hold Scutari with the Albanians alone. THE ALLIES TO CONFER. Belgrade, November 2. The Parliaments of the Balkan States will hold a joint Parliamentary session, lasting for three days, at Uskuh (where Dushan in 1349 sanctioned the first Servian laws), immediately after the close of military operations.. London, September 2. The newspapers consider that the publication of Nazim Pasha’s de: pitches was a more attempt to keep the Stamboul populace quiet. HORRIBLE MASSACRES. Athens,'November 2. The Turkish flying columns on the evening of October 22, traversed from Sarantaporos to Metaxa, seized fiftytwo inhabitants, conveyed them to Servindji, and cast them into prison, where seventy-three Greek captive; were imprisoned. The Governor liberated 125 soldiers, and an armed crowd surrounded them and massacred 121. including live priests. Their noses and hands were cut off. A Christian villager was brought to Jaiiina and murdered in the market olaco in the presence of the authorities.

DETAILS OF THE FIGHT. Vienna, November 2. The (Reichpost,’ describing the Jiual struggle, ■ says that the decisive stage opened on Tuesday, MondayVldoociy initial engagements having iiidcd favourably for the Bulgarians’ right whig at Luleburgas. The Bulgarian left wing, advancing vigorously near llurnarhissar (not far from Visa), passed from the defensive to the offensive.

The Turks, here, had attempted to forestall the advance, threatening the lino of retreat from Serai to Caatildja bv taking the offensive from Serai, Via Visa, against the Bulgarians. When, on Tuesday, a counter offensive attack began from a line vanning from the township of Uskuh. nine aides eastward from Kirk Kilissie to Hajaefakti and Monastirdagh, tin- foremost Turkish lines were roused by a start!in « attack', executed with unprecedented elan, hut fresh reserves enabled the Turks to temporarily reform. A hitter battle raged the whole day, the Turks eventually emerging in formless masses. Simultaneously the Bulgarian rigid wing attacked the Turks’ position near Luleburgas from Baheski and YeniIdem, driving the Turks,;from their fortified lines on Elandero, Kavakk, lie, i and along the Ergene lliver, back upon Lnlehnrgas. Most of the positions were stormed at tlie bayonet’s prunb., .The infan ry, admirably supported byiltfhp, ar ill-'ry, kept the" Turks down abtlcfisive moments by an overtvhelivfing fire, hut some of the positions were taken without artillery support. The Bulgarians’ dash was unexampled. The infantry translated tlie battle cry, “Na Nost!” meaning “To the knife !” into .reality without any concession to modern tactical considerations. Whole regiments, 400 paces from the enemy’s line, threw themselves in a single rush on the foe. without firing a shot or taking cover. Each individual went for the Turl ( cs with the bayonet. The officers wore powerless against the frenzy of the troops, and were obliged to adopt tactics of frenzy themselves.

THE BRITISH PUBLIC. London, November. 2. Intense interest is being displayed in the war, and the public are horrified at the details. A full meeting of the Cabinet was held to-night. The King is constantly informed (if any developments in Turkey. ( Vienna, ‘November 3. The proposal from M. Poincare (Foreign Minister) for mediation has been received. Constantinople, November 3. Nazim Pasha reports that he has resumed the offensive and has recaptured Bunarchissar. ACTIVITY AT PORTSMOUTH. London, November 3. There is unwonted activity at Portsmouth. The sixtli and seventh destroyer flotillas and several battleships are preparing for sea. The authorities’ explanation that this is a quarterly mobilisation is unsatisfactory, and it is supposed that the vessels are intended for the Near East. The first Greek to leave Auckland for the purpose of returning to tae land of his birth'to defend it in time of war was a passenger by the Main Trunk express for Wellington, on route for Athens, on Wednesday evening. The man in question, who bears the name of Policandriotis, is a Greek naval reservist, and for the past two years has been in Auckland,, engaged in the fishing trade. In all, there are about two hundred Gredes in New Zealand, about thirty of whom are at present in Auckland. They are raising funds among themselves for the purpose of aiding their countrymen in their struggles.

TURKISH ARMY IN STRAITS. London, November 2. The ‘Chronicle’s’ Constantinople correspondent says that i thousands of troops at the front are unarmed and without uniform. The commissariat has failed. He reports that the reverses have embittered the Moslems, who were buoyed up by false statements of successes, and who are now anxious whether they are on the eve of terrible deeds. Five thousand wounded arrived at Stamboul on Thursday, and 7COJ more are coming. The war correspondents are practically prisoners at Abdullah’s headquarters. THE SCENE AT KILISSIE. Sofia, November 2. The inhabitants of Kirk Kilissie wore unaware of the Turkish disaster until two in the afternoon, when t.io cry “The Bulgarians arc coming! ’ arose. In a twinkling pandemonium broke loose. The population flocked to the railway station, and the soldiers stormed the trains and compelled the drivers at the point of the revolver to steam out. Others trudged afoot towards Luleburgas. All the vi lages between Adrianople and Luleburgas are burning, the Moslems firing their own villages before quitting.

A BATTLE HALF WON. (Received 9 a.m.) Constantinople, November 3. The German officer with Turks at Kirk Kilissie asserts that the Moslems had half won the battle when, for some unknown cause, they began to retire. The failure began with the weak relief of a regiment of Asiatics, whoso panic was communicated to the rest, culminating in a pell mell flight. MUKHTAR NO COWARD. There is absolutely no truth in the reports that Mukhtar Pasha is a coward or is clumsy. He is one of the bravest ami best soldiers whom the Turks possess. The reports that lie was recalled and disgraced is untrue. HOW THE MISTAKE WAS MADE. The same officer describes .the incident in which Turks fired on one another as follows:-—“Despite the darkness, we poured lead into the enemy, whose flashes were occasionally visible when rain bold off. The firing continued nearly all night. We were losing pretty heavily, but advancing, and finally with the dawn foil on the ground to rest, having won the bartie. But we were staggered to find not dead Bulgarians, but Ottomans. The conviction dawned on us that we had been fighting our own men.” The Bulgarians evidently soon discovered that something had upset our formation, as soon after daylight theyattacked the weakest point of the halftrained llcdiffs, who broke and ran.”

FURTHER TURKISH ATROCITIES Sofia, November 2. The roads towards Cliataldja are scattered with dead and dying, and weapons and clothing. The Christians in the forefront of the Turkish lines in the recent battles endeavoured to attract the notice el their co-religionists on the opposite side by the sign of the cross. The newspaper ‘Mir’ states that the Turks, before evacuating Bunarhissar, imprisoned and incinerated 200 Bulgarians in the barracks. They massacred the Bulgarians wholesale. BATTLE OF KIRK KILISSIE. Constantinople, November 2. Details of the terrible fight at Kirk Kilissie show that Hindi Bay, commanding 20,000 troops, advanced and encountered three divisions. I hey attacked simultaneously, sending a flanking column against each wing. The light with the central body continued from noon until night, but the flanking column failed to come into _ contact with the enemy. One division had. without informing Hindi, advanced and stationed itself behind Hilrai’stwo detached columns. The latter was between the Bulgarian and Turkish fire, leading to a panic. i _ A captured Turkish officer subsequently remarked: “We have been starving for a week. I was scarcely able to obtain a small roll. A number of horses are dying each day. It is impossible for soldiers worn out and starving to light.” Upwards of ten thousand ragged, starving Kirk Kilissie refugees including many women and children, are camping in the courtyards of the St.imboul mosques.

EUROPE’S CHANCING VIEWS. Turkish newspapers bitterly contrast bln rope’s changing views w ith regard to the status quo since the Allies’ success. THE FALL OF ADRIANOPLE. Vienna, November 3. The Reiohspost says that the fall of Adrianoplo is expected next week. The capitulation might bo hastened, hut King Ferdinand lias discountenanced ruthless bombardment. RESULT OF A NIGHT ATTACK. Athens, November 3. The fifth division, while marching on Monastic, camped near Walbankei and repulsed a Turco-Alhanian night attack: and in turn attacked and routed the Turks at dawn. 'I ho latter had 1000 infantry and 200 cavalry killed, • and lost seven guns.

A CONSPIRACY OF SILENCE. Constantinople, November ‘2. The Porto, with a view to preserving order and preventing outbreaks, strenuoiifdy keeps Hie public in igneranco of events at the front. It is also sending a division to stop all fugitive soldiers between Chataldja and Stainhaul.

FLIGHT OF TURKS. Sofia, November 3. it is reported that the Bulgarians surrounded Shefkefc Pasha’s {(’.vision on the heights east of Serj. After a desperate fight the Turks broke through and fled to Cbataldja. SURRENDER OF 15,030 ARNAUTS. Belgrade, November 3. Bolotina/., a famous Aruaut chief, with 15,000 followers, surrendered to the Servians at Mitrovitza. EFFECT OF POPULAR OPINION. Paris' November 3. Tlie Temps publishes an interview with the Bulgarian Charge de Affaires, who says: “Popular sentiment will not allow the Allies to restore the freed people to Turkish rule. Europe must not repeat the Berlin Congress and adjourn the final liquidation of the subject.” St. Petersburg, November 3. M. Sazaiioff has authorised the state, mont noting Austria-Hungary’s de duration as to confining herself to economic interests, which, he believed, could be satisfied without prejudice to the Slav States. Berlin, November 3. All efforts have failed to extract from Von Der Goltz the reason of the failure of his Turkish pupils. German experts assert that the f .up does not lie in the tactical lessons, but in the wretched individual work of officers. Paris, November 3. M. Poincare has submitted to the Powers the form in which tlie intervention should take. It is understood it meets with general approval, al though Austria desires to negoti.it separately with Servia. Buda Pest, November 3. The Pester Lloyd says Austria is fully determined to adhere to he. policy of territorial abstinence.

PREVEZA CAPITULATES. Athens, November 3. Preveza has capitulated. i (Received 4. 9.15 a.m.) 'Constantinople, November 3. Agis will shortly be court-martiall-cd. \ Twelve thousand wounded from th, Thracian battlefield have arrived. Turkish reports of a Greek defeat near Vodena allege that the Greek? wore caught between the Salonika Turks and the Monastir force, and th reports also assert that the Afontene grins were repulsed at Scutari with 2000 casualties. A bomb exploded in the Govornmen Konak Dimotika, causing much dam age. Vienna, November 3. The ‘Roichpost’ emphasises the lie roic assaults on the Turkish centre ai Kavakdere during the second day of the Rnnarhissar battle. ' Undismayed and unshaken by ap palling Turkish fire., the Bulgarian; captured the heights at the fourth charge. Sofia, November 3. During the fight at Luleburgas, th Bulgarians captured eighty guns and ICO ammunition waggons. The Turks during the retreat from Babaeski massacred 200 cf all ages and both sexes at Alavali, and eyes were gauged and heads split. Bucharest,, November 3. The Cabinet has approved cf large credits for various army services. Cario, November 3. The Egyptian Red Gross.is sending a mission to the Balkans.